Portable telephones are in growing use, many of them having swivel antennas so that the antenna can be directed in the most favorable direction for transmission and receipt of signals. In conventional, portable telephone swivel antennas, the antenna is carried by a connection member which is attached to the telephone housing. The direction of swivelling of the antenna is basically inwardly and outwardly, generally about an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connection member. This results in a system in which the antenna can project inconveniently outward with respect to the casing or housing of the telephone.
Also, swivel antennas for telephones and for television sets share in the disadvantage that they tend to lose their self positioning, desired characteristic so that the antenna will not stay in a desired position, but will rather fall downwardly by gravity, since the retention provided to the swivel antenna can wear, and the frictional retention is reduced. In an attempt to remedy this, a bolt is often provided which can be tightened to re-establish frictional retention. In fact in some swivel antennas it is necessary to loosen or tighten the bolt in order to cause it to swivel and then to cause it to be retained in a desired position. Eventually, further wear causes reduction in the frictional retention and further generally tightening proves ineffective.
In accordance with this invention, a swivel antenna connection is provided, preferably for use with portable telephones but also usable in other situations as may be desired. The swivel antenna is retained in any desired swivelling position into which it may be placed, with less possibility of loss of that function through wear. Also, there is no need to tighten a screw to cause the swivelling antenna to remain in its desired position. It is held by a predetermined frictional force in desired swivelling positions, which force does not significantly degrade with use. Thus the undesired loss of frictional positioning function so common with inexpensive TV and telephone antennas of the prior art is not lost with normal use in the antenna mounting of this invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a telephone with a swivel antenna that is easy to assemble, inexpensive to manufacture and provides means to achieve the best possible reception and transmission quality while maintaining its position until a new position is desired.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.